Florida Truck Insurance

FL License #: L112084

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Miami • Hialeah • Fort Lauderdale • Hollywood • Tampa • Orlando • Jacksonville • Tallahassee

Truck Insurance in Florida

Protecting your trucks goes deeper than hiring qualified drivers and keeping your vehicles in good working order. You also have to cover both your driver and your vehicles with the right level of insurance. With rising insurance rates, finding the right insurance with a budget in mind can be daunting, but it’s as important now as ever before. According to the FMCSA, in 2018, the “number of large trucks and buses in fatal crashes . . . increased by 48 percent from its low of 3,432 in 2009.” And according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 2019 alone saw over 30,000 accidents involving large trucks in the state, and that only covers accidents without injuries. So, it’s not a matter of whether or not you should be insured, but how to find the best value for your money while keeping you and yours protected on the road.

While insurance is vital no matter where you drive, every state has its own special considerations. Let’s review why you need Florida truck insurance and why you should use an independent insurance agent when protecting your trucks.

Why do I need Florida Trucking Insurance?

  • Truck Liability Coverage

    Every state requires that you purchase liability coverage for your trucks, though they vary in specifications. Regardless of the law, it would be in your best interest to purchase it. When your truck is involved in an accident, liability insurance covers any injuries or damage sustained by the other driver or vehicle so you don’t have to. In Florida, truck drivers and businesses are required by law to hold a minimum level of liability insurance, determined by what you haul and where. For example, if your truck doesn’t cross state lines and is over 26,000 GVW, you must have an intrastate-only USDOT Number and be insured.

  • Physical Damage Coverage

    While physical damage coverage is not required by law, it’s no less essential than liability coverage. Accidents involving trucks get expensive quickly. According to the FMCSA, “The average cost of all large truck crashes is about $91,000 per crash.” That average goes up to nearly $200,000 when the crash results in injuries, and it can even reach millions of dollars if fatalities are involved. But physical damage coverage is designed to protect you from these losses, especially when a truck is put out of commission.

  • Motor Truck Cargo

    Motor truck cargo insurance is needed by for-hire truckers to properly cover the commodities they are hauling. It is generally required by the party who owns the product being transported because it ensures that if their goods are damaged or stolen while in transit, their assets will be covered. Depending on the cargo that is in transport by your big rig, you may need specific endorsements. For example, if you transport refrigerated goods, you will need to make sure you have “reefer breakdown” coverage. This might cover a $50,000 load of frozen pizza when the reefer unit breaks down along I-75. Of any line of 18-wheeler insurance, cargo insurance is the one you need to understand and pay attention to the most. You usually get what you pay for, and some carriers will make a long list of exclusions that specifically exclude coverage for certain events.

  • Truckers General Liability

    This coverage can be a bit more confusing, but here is the simplest way to understand it: Truckers general liability insurance is designed to protect your business from any damage that might occur when there is not a driver behind the wheel of your truck. On the other hand, your auto liability coverage would cover your business when you are driving. If you have other aspects of your business—such as a quarry or a consolidation warehouse—you will need a more robust general liability insurance policy that considers exposures outside the realm of trucking.

Why Should I use an Independent Insurance Agent?

Find Insurance Programs Specific to Your Needs

No matter what you’re driving, you can find an insurance program that caters to that specific type of vehicle and its needs. This will be much more beneficial to your business than trying to force a general insurance program to fit your needs. For example, TIS specializes in the trucking niche and provides market access to numerous specialty truck insurance programs, including programs for the following:

Instant Certificates of Insurance with our Mobile App

Insurance is there to help you when you least expect it. If you knew exactly when or where you would need insurance, you likely wouldn’t need it at all. When the unexpected happens and you need to prove your policy, the last thing you want is to be waiting for hours in the middle of the night for an insurance agent to return your call or get back into the office. For our part, TIS is available 24/7 to issue your certificate of insurance through our mobile app. Regardless of where you or your drivers may go, we’re right there with you for every mile of your journey.

Get Assistance with your Florida Truck Permits & Filings

With so many laws and regulations, it can be difficult to ensure that you stay compliant—but not staying compliant can be expensive. The right agent is there to not only make sure you’re insured but to also help you keep all of your permits up to date. At TIS, our permits department is well versed in all things Florida truck insurance, and we are constantly watching the ever-changing system for updates that might trip you up. We ensure our clients have all of the required Florida trucking permits and keep you informed of all changes made to laws and regulations.

Additionally, as an independent brokerage, TIS has access to nearly every carrier under the sun. No matter what kind of truck you’re driving in the sunshine state, we can partner you with the carrier right for your business. Contact us today to learn more.

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Here is what Our Happy Customers have to say

Frank has been a pleasure to work with, he is very knowledgeable and is easy to communicate with. In the time that our company has worked with Frank he has demonstrated a high level of professionalism, strong work ethic, and willingness to assist in our ever changing needs. I highly recommend his services.
Tonya Wright
Kelli is great, she got me better rate even though I am still a new carrier barely a year old. You get feedback back quick if you request addition of cert holders, and they'll give you access so you can add cert holders for brokers 24/7.
Joash Kemei
Lara is who I deal with when it comes to documents and she is super quick and always has a great attitude. Even if your having a bad day, her attitude easily makes the day a little brighter. If you read this far in believe me you have nothing to lose calling them and having them try to help you out . You won't regret it 😃
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